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Specialty Courts

Vision Statement

Specialty Court programs aim to reduce recidivism while meeting the unique needs of justice-involved individuals in drug courts, mental health courts and veterans treatment courts while setting standards for training and program operations. Comprehensive support services are grounded in the best practice standards that prioritize trauma-informed and culturally responsive approaches to empower program participants' recovery and resilience pathways.

The Department of Specialty Courts

The Department of Specialty Courts oversees Kentucky's Drug Court, Veterans Treatment Court (VTC) and Mental Health Court (MHC) programs. Collectively known as Specialty Courts, these programs provide justice-involved individuals with comprehensive support, supervision and structured case management to access treatment services and make positive life changes.

Specialty Courts aim to address the root causes of criminal behavior through a multidisciplinary team approach to equip participants with tools to achieve stability and build positive community connections while reducing the risk of recidivism and incarceration costs. Specialty Courts operate as part of the Administrative Office of the Courts to provide treatment, drug testing, and case management at no cost to court-ordered participants.

Kentucky Specialty Courts are committed to fostering a Recovery-Oriented System of Care (ROSC) that empowers individuals on their unique pathways through focus areas, such as mentorship opportunities, community engagement and reducing racial and ethnic disparities while setting program standards for training and program operations.

Recovery-Oriented System of Care

The Department of Specialty Courts is committed to improving responses to justice-involved Kentuckians and their families, focusing on adults with substance use disorder, mental illness and intellectual disabilities. Specialty Courts strive for equitable pathways to recovery that divert justice-involved individuals into necessary treatments and out of the court system. This is achieved through intentional collaborations involving a multidisciplinary system of the KCOJ, behavioral health systems and local communities and is referred to as a recovery-oriented system of care approach.

Behavioral Health Liaisons

Throughout the state, behavioral health liaisons (BHL) operate as a primary navigation resource for justice-involved individuals experiencing complex needs for mental illness, substance use disorder and intellectual and developmental disabilities.

In each designated region, the Behavioral Health Liaison promotes the development and awareness of Kentucky Court of Justice-supported initiatives, including the expansion of mental health courts. The liaisons support the Kentucky Judicial Commission on Mental Health mission and foster collaboration across Kentucky’s court system and with partner agencies to ensure adherence to best practices in behavioral health and alignment with a recovery-oriented system of care.

If you are interested in connecting with or learning more about the behavioral health liaison in your area, contact the Department of Specialty Courts.

Drug Court Program Certification

The Kentucky Drug Court Program Certification process was implemented to establish a standardized framework of accountability, ensuring drug court programs adhere to the Adult Treatment Court Best Practice Standards. Certification not only signifies compliance with Best Practice Standards but also promotes continuous improvement, program integrity, and a commitment to a recovery-oriented system of care approach.

As a result of the certification pilot program, launched in 2023, the Certification Board recommended full certification of 17 drug court programs. Building upon this success, the Department of Specialty Courts continues these efforts to advance the commitment to changing the lives of judicially-involved persons.

Achieving certification enables programs to create optimal conditions for participant outcomes and access to phase-based incentives and resources. More information about the certification process and the Certification Board can be located in the Kentucky Administrative Procedures for Drug Court.

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Specialty Court Alumni Association

The Kentucky Specialty Court Alumni Association's mission is to support and promote healthy, sober lifestyles through a compassionate and proactive community, encouraging participants and graduates of specialty courts toward positive change and sustained recovery. The SPC Alumni Association operates autonomously and is not a function of the KCOJ.

The alumni association provides a network of support for graduates offering continuous encouragement, resources, and meaningful involvement opportunities. They aim to support specialty court participants in mental health court, veterans treatment court, and drug court programs through mentorship opportunities and volunteer support to enhance success and improve quality of life. Through these efforts, the alumni association strengthens public health, social cohesion, and economic reintegration, benefiting individuals, their families, and communities across Kentucky.

Eligibility & How to Access

Any justice-involved person with an open criminal case may be referred for an eligibility assessment.

People with open criminal cases related to substance abuse and/or mental health issues may be referred to Specialty Courts for an eligibility assessment.

To initiate the referral process, an Order Referring to Specialty Court must be completed, submitted to the local Specialty Courts office and entered into the court record. Those referred for assessment are then directed to contact their local Specialty Courts office to schedule an appointment with Specialty Courts staff. If the referred individual is incarcerated, Specialty Court staff will schedule the assessment with jail personnel.

During the assessment, Specialty Courts staff review the Agreement of Partcipation with the referred individual, discussing general program expectations. The agreement contains information about future court proceedings and the rights of program participants. Potential participants should review the agreement with their attorney prior to agreeing to the terms.

Upon determining that an individual is eligible for participation, Specialty Courts staff discuss the person’s case with the judge and other members of the Specialty Courts team and the group decides whether to add the person as a participant. Specialty Courts staff schedule orientation with new participants.

For more information, please contact your local specialty courts office.